I could hear the friendly roar of the big audience laughing and applauding Sir Seymour, Claire Luce, and the other fine artists, and thought what a wonderful privilege it was. to be allowed to help entertain our soldiers.
All through my. life I have found kindness among English folk, but these lads, They'd thought of everything; nothing was too much trouble. They were mother, father and rich uncle all rolled into one.
T chose the songs I thought they'd like best—mostly old favourites which many of them had sung with me in halls all over Britain, whistled at their work after hearing, them at the pictures, and perhaps remembered their wives and children and girls I heard one "Is Gracie all these songs there was something of, the lads themselves, because every song that becomes popular has the heart of the people in it. Any performer who thinks otherwise is kidding herself.
legs weren't too good—the shouting, Jvhen 1 got en the sage the old stamping, whistling was terrific. It went on and on and on. It seemed as if the lads were going to make a night of it. There was something in their reception different from the applause of an audience at home. I felt ifft didn't stop soon I should break down. So I said.—"Now, then, lads. No mucking about"
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.